About Multiturn
Discover the engineering behind multiturn screw piles and how their unique conical helix design delivers superior load capacity and soil consolidation.
What are multiturn screw piles?
Multiturn screw piles are a type of deep foundation system that uses a conical helix rather than a flat plate helix welded to a steel shaft.
How do they work?
Conventional screw piles usually have one or several flat helical plates welded to a central shaftLoad capacity comes from the end bearing on the lower plate.
Multiturn screw piles replace those plates with a conical helix flight like a screw thread that extends for several rotations along the shaft.
Conventional screw piles have a flat helix at the base of the shaft bearing on a suitable ground. This provides certain load resistance dependent on geotechnical factors.Multiturn helix screw piles increase the allowable bearing of the soil by consolidating the soil around the helix into a pressure bulb.
The Benefits of Multiturn Helix Piles
- Higher Load Capacity in dense soils
- Faster installation with fewer, more efficient piles
- Lower material costs with optimised pile design
- Improved reliability with tested strain gauge data
- Proven results from over 20 years of field and lab testing
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
A Quick History
In 1832 Irish engineer Alexander Mitchell conceived the screw pile after observing a boat’s sail screw into sand during a gale; he then tested the idea in Belfast Lough and patented the invention in 1833.
By 1838 screw piles were already being used to build lighthouses on unstable banks (like at the Thames entrance), and through the late 19th century they became widely adopted for piers, bridges, and foundations in shifting or muddy terrain.
Today screw piles are a versatile, environmentally friendly foundation method for everything from walkways and towers to residential and commercial buildings.
By 1838 screw piles were already being used to build lighthouses on unstable banks (like at the Thames entrance), and through the late 19th century they became widely adopted for piers, bridges, and foundations in shifting or muddy terrain.
Today screw piles are a versatile, environmentally friendly foundation method for everything from walkways and towers to residential and commercial buildings.